Let’s say he did. Does that give Orthodox Jews in galus the right to take revenge against the President of the United States in front of his face?

Allow me to explain.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry held a press conference in Manhattan, on Tuesday morning, to blast President Obama for his Israel policy. He was flanked by Orthodox Jews, most of them wearing their black velvet yarmulkas, and stroking their beards. Perry accused President Obama of fostering a policy of “appeasement” in the Middle East, blaming him for the standoff at the United Nations over the Palestinian bid for statehood recognition.

His words were followed by cheers and laud applause by those who are “Shomrei Torah Umitzvos”.

How outrageous!

President Obama was across the street at the United Nations working feverishly to stop the Palestinians from declaring a state, and a group of men wearing Yarmulkas publicly gather to blast the President of the United States on live television. Talk about a chilul hashem. And don’t think for one second that most of them mean this “lishem shomayim” to defend Israel. They could not care less about Israel. They care about one thing and one thing only: chanifah towards Rick Perry lest he be the next President. Oh, and as an added bonus they get to pretend that they are machers for a day by getting their photo in a newspaper with the Republican Presidential frontrunner.

What did Obama do to deserve this? Promising to veto the Palestinian State wasn’t enough? How about saving a dozen Jews in the Israeli Embassy in Egypt last Shabbos? Where is the hakoras hatov?

And don’t worry. Rest assured that as the election gets closer, some of those very people on that stage will once again start their “get Pollard out of jail” campaign. Can you imagine the chutzpah?

In thousands of years of history there has never been a medina shel chesed like the United States of America, where we have such freedom of religion and, boruch hashem, prosperity as a community. We owe our country and President a little respect. Playing for cheap political points to help another candidate for President who conveniently supports Israel when he is running for office is shameful. We’re better than that. This is not what “Orthodox Jews” do.

Let me end by making myself clear. I did not vote for Obama in the last election, and will not be voting for him the next one either. This article is not about who I support, or whom I will be voting for. This is about Orthodox Jews deciding on their own to make a move which can potentially hurt the interests of millions of Jews around the world – both in Israel, and in the United States. Which Gadol sanctioned this event? Can anyone name him? Whatever happened to the rule that we have been following for thousands of years of “Lama Tisrau”?!

Charles Katz is an attorney practicing criminal law in New York, and above all a “god-fearing Jew”.

NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.

73 Comments

100% correct. Maybe he’s not Israel’s biggest friend, as a president, but we’ve become way too comfortable in this Galus. Suddenly all our askanim are political friends, and we have got drunk at Achashveroish’s party

Mr Katz, you must be very nieve to think that Obama loves Israel. lets not forget, he had a relationship with Rev Wright who is a known anti semite. He publicly called for Israel to retreat to the 1967 borders, a move that no president has dared to make. Why cant we make our opinions known to him? Why must we sit idly by and not protest? Yes we live in a malchus shel chesed which prides itself with freedom of expression and we are excersizing that very right. There is nothing wrong with showing disapproval for a president that has let this country down. If Orthodox newspapers can publically endorse one candidate over another , Orthodox individuals can rally around their favorite candidate with enthusiasm and not be intimidated by people like you lambasting them

I am not unhappy with what they did. They as Americans are using their right to express their dis-satisfaction with our President and his failed policies. Obama’s failed policies in the Middle east have set the stage for what is happening at the UN this week. Obama has has made it clear to the Arabs that there is a new US way of dealing with the Mid East, and that Israel is not always number one. I disagree with my President and so did those at Mr. Perry’s press conference…some of us see no need to cow tow to Mr. Obama…it is called freedom of expression. The good he has done for Jews and Israel will be appreciated, the bad he does will be acknowledged as well.

I just read the following in the top story of YWN. It’s from Obama’s remarks in the United Nations.

I could not agree more with the letter writer.

Nerve of them!

Now I know that for many in this hall, one issue stands as a test for these principles – and for American foreign policy: the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians.

One year ago, I stood at this podium and called for an independent Palestine. I believed then – and I believe now – that the Palestinian people deserve a state of their own. But what I also said is that genuine peace can only be realized between Israelis and Palestinians themselves. One year later, despite extensive efforts by America and others, the parties have not bridged their differences. Faced with this stalemate, I put forward a new basis for negotiations in May. That basis is clear, and well known to all of us here. Israelis must know that any agreement provides assurances for their security. Palestinians deserve to know the territorial basis of their state.

I know that many are frustrated by the lack of progress. So am I. But the question isn’t the goal we seek – the question is how to reach it. And I am convinced that there is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the UN – if it were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live side by side. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians – not us – who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on refugees and Jerusalem.

Peace depends upon compromise among peoples who must live together long after our speeches are over, and our votes have been counted. That is the lesson of Northern Ireland, where ancient antagonists bridged their differences. That is the lesson of Sudan, where a negotiated settlement led to an independent state. And that is the path to a Palestinian state.

We seek a future where Palestinians live in a sovereign state of their own, with no limit to what they can achieve. There is no question that the Palestinians have seen that vision delayed for too long. And it is precisely because we believe so strongly in the aspirations of the Palestinian people that America has invested so much time and effort in the building of a Palestinian state, and the negotiations that can achieve one.

America’s commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable, and our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring. And so we believe that any lasting peace must acknowledge the very real security concerns that Israel faces every single day. Let’s be honest: Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged repeated wars against it. Israel’s citizens have been killed by rockets fired at their houses and suicide bombs on their buses. Israel’s children come of age knowing that throughout the region, other children are taught to hate them. Israel, a small country of less than eight million people, looks out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to wipe it off of the map. The Jewish people carry the burden of centuries of exile, persecution, and the fresh memory of knowing that six million people were killed simply because of who they were.

These facts cannot be denied. The Jewish people have forged a successful state in their historic homeland. Israel deserves recognition. It deserves normal relations with its neighbors. And friends of the Palestinians do them no favors by ignoring this truth, just as friends of Israel must recognize the need to pursue a two state solution with a secure Israel next to an independent Palestine.

That truth – that each side has legitimate aspirations – is what makes peace so hard. And the deadlock will only be broken when each side learns to stand in each other’s shoes. That’s what we should be encouraging. This body – founded, as it was, out of the ashes of war and genocide; dedicated, as it is, to the dignity of every person – must recognize the reality that is lived by both the Palestinians and the Israelis. The measure of our actions must always be whether they advance the right of Israeli and Palestinian children to live in peace and security, with dignity and opportunity. We will only succeed in that effort if we can encourage the parties to sit down together, to listen to each other, and to understand each other’s hopes and fears. That is the project to which America is committed. And that is what the United Nations should be focused on in the weeks and months to come.http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=103957

You said a whole lot but said nothing. This is the political proccess which Jews know how to work very well and aggressive when it comes to benifits and money. When it comes to money the “Orthodox Jew”, despite the Golus he is in, does whatever he can do to get ahead, and even if it means “streaching the truth” a bit, as we all know, – and everyone is perfectly fine with it.

But now when we finally have a chance to let our voice be heard about THE TRUTH, all of a sudden “we’re in Golus!”

You know good and well, and so does Obama, “what he did to deserve this”…

I think it would be shameful NOT to do it, and yes, it only INCREECES Polard’s chances of getting out, since Obama will have to make up for all this.

Come on, get with the program – Do you think Obama will do the right thing just because Jews expressed ‘Hakaras Hatov’ for what he’s done and seem to be happy with him, or for political reasons???

and speaking of ‘Gedolim’, BMG arranged a night with Hilarry giving her a stage to put down Bush who was president at the time, and certainly deserved more “Hakoras Hatov” then this slave-soul does.

You ask what did Obama do to deserve that treatment? I say LOTS! I think he’s only doing what he’s doing now because he’s trying to belatedly retrieve the Jewish vote. I am grateful that he did save those Israelis in Egypt, and I’m glad that he’s vetoing the vote in the UN, but I think it’s too little too late. It’s his foreign policies that helped to get us into this mess in the first place.

You people are missing the point. Even if Obama is bad for Israel, what gives frum yidden living in America the right to do this?

Where is the achrayis?

I hold that they have the din of RODFIM since they are endangering the lives of every frum person in America. Eisav sonei es yaakov. Wanna ignore that fact? Go ahead. Just keep stirring the pot in Obama’s face, and we will sleep in the bed that these jerks made for all of us yesterday.

They asked no one.

Did they take a viote from the frum people and ask them permission? Who do they think they are “representing” us?!

really? I am beyond surprised at the self-righteous tone of the author. Obama has empowered the enemies of the Jewish people and attempted to secure plausible deniability in the process. Let’s be clear, situations where formal US alliances are concerned, such as the Israeli embassy under attack in Egypt, Obama has no choice but to respond favorably. When it comes to policy preferences and with whom his loyalties lie, he demonstrates his inner feelings clearly. His closest friends and political allies have been anti-Jews. While it might be politically incorrect and less than useful for Jews in exile to appropriately label Obama for what he is, it is clearly in the interests of all klal Yisroel to work for his defeat. I would prefer that Rabbonim NOT, in this circumstance make public political statements that will only be mis-understood by the goyim. It is more important that public statements be limited to vital issues where a general directional statement could influence the direction of more specific policies.

Doesn’t anyone feel that the attitude of the letter-writer and those in agreement with him is just a bit reminiscent of the attitude of the majority of Jews in America during the Holocaust? That attitude being, don’t speak out against the government, after all this is galus and we have to be thankful for what we have, and not make waves.

Do you all people machmir so much when it comes to any other issue in America? Maybe, we should split the Frum olam into two, and 50% will have to vote Democrat and 50% – Republican, not to offend anybody?

I totally disagree with the letter writer and most of the comments. Supporting a candidate and clapping at the end of his speech is a normal part of an election season and is not taken as a spit in the face. The speech was against Obama’s policies not against him as a person. B”H we don’t live in a dictatorship where speaking against the government makes you an enemy of the state.

Also, the way the political process works is that politicians work to gain favor with those whose votes are uncertain. If all Jews made clear that they will vote for Obama regardless of his policies, then we will be in a lot worse shape. His anti-Israel policies of the past 2 years were exactly because he took the Jewish vote for granted and assumed he will get their vote regardless of his actions and policies.

Did anyone notice that the first 2 major pro-Israel actions he undertook as president – which the democratic spin machine is using to prove his love for Israel (getting the Cairo embassy safely evacuated and today’s speech against Palestinian statehood) – only happened AFTER jews expressed their displeasure with him at the ballot box in Turner vs. Weprin? He suddenly realized that he needs to do more for Israel or risk losing the Jewish vote.

Of course we owe him lots of hakaras hatov for these 2 actions but that does not mean we need to forget all his anti-Israel actions of the past 2 years, which by the way were not limited to having Netanyahu walk out the back door and putting his feet on his desk while speaking to him. Have you forgotten that he was the first sitting president to validate Palestinian claims to Yerushalayim by demanding an Israeli construction freeze there? And what about his support for a return to the indefensible ’67 borders – also a first for any president?

Blindly supporting a sitting president regardless of his policies is a lot more dangerous for millions of yidden around the globe than speaking out and making him realize he needs to work for our vote.

to #26, I would like to remind the readers it was the President who stood before the UN last year and called for a pali-state within the next year. his ego is his biggest flaw. for this, and maybe only this, he cannot blame Israel or the Jews. His remarks today were not so much in support of Israel, it was his attempt to stay in control of the “peace process” so that dismantling Jewish communities in the land of Israel can be done in a way that serves his purpose yet frustrates the historians attempts to label him anti-Jew.

Rashi says on “Lama Tisrau” that a Jew shouldn’t show affluence. Somehow when it comes to that the Golus spirit is nowhere to be found on us. Jews run back and forth in government and candidates offices, give stages for candidates to put down existing elected officials, and even sacrifice their moral basic standing with the better goyim of this country for a few bucks. I didn’t hear from Mr. Katz “Lama Tisrau” at that time.

Golus always meant that we must play by the rules the goyim decree upon us, and not try to undercut them. When it comes to Money we’re ‘Oiver’ that all the time! but this thing is TOTALLY BY THE RULES – Jews here didn’t do anything more than support a candidate and have him voice THE TRUTH about what this current guy is doing, and they did so in a very dignified way… – what is the problem?

Do you remember Rav Avigdor Miller urging his people to write letters in support of Nixon, against Kennedy etc. etc.? I do.

And in this case IT’S THE ONLY WAY to get this president to do any thing good. Any ‘Hakoras Hatoiv’ for the little things he did which were only needed because of him to begin with, and were not enough to undo his terrible terrible policies, will just be counter-productive, because then he certainly won’t do a thing.

[You can disagree. Fine. Not everyone will get everything right. Just don't make it like your opinion is 'Torah Misinai'...]

The main influence that the public has on politicians is thier campaign support ($) and votes. Nothing speaks louder than a politician losing a voting block previously seen as being guaranteed- like the recent Turner win in NY-9. I think that we need our voice to be heard by the current administration. I want President Obama to understand the issues that are important to me and the importance of unwaivering support to Israel.

Ahavas_yisroel was spot on by stating that it was President Obama’s policies that started this mess. By reaching out to the Arab countries at the start of his term he gave the world the impression that USA was cooling its support of Israel. Furthermore by the US insistence of a settlement freeze they have made a non issue into a precondition for negotiations. A SETTLEMENT FREEZE WAS NEVER IN THE LEXICON OF NEGOTIATION UNTIL OBAMA. By mentioning the ’67 borders Pres. Obama took away a massive bargaining chip from Israel. These statements and others effectively created a new floor for negotiations in favor of the Arab residents of Israel in the West Bank and Gaza.

Finally, if none of the people who have commented or written this article have asked those that have attended the Perry speech whether they have consulted their Rav then I do not think it is right to assume that they did not.

Generally when this is done it is under the auspice of an organization which has consulted a Rav.

As has been mentioned on other blogs which shall remain nameless, The policy of the United States towards Israel under President Obama is essentially unchanged from the policy under the last four Presidents. What the President’s personal attitude towards Israel is unknown and immaterial. Further, his attitude towards Jews may have no bearing on his attitude towards Israel. Recall that President Nixon had been recorded making very uncomplimentary (to say the least)comments about Jews. Nevertheless, in 1973 he went against all State Dept and Defense Dept advice and personally saved Israel from defeat.

No mdd…not back to the ’67 borders…no one here, not I, and not the Addministration has ever advocated that. Saying otherwise is a big lie –

We do support the ’67 borders as the point of departure for negotiations for more secure borders, rather than existing settlement lines…the latter position is a non-starter legally, and no one except hardliners in our camp would accept it.

lakewoodbt…when calling the President an antisemite you sound like a nasty, over the top, paranoid lakewood-dumkopf. You also are a class A exhibit demonstrating the absence of substantive or structural antisemitism here…the system tolerates the likes of you, and you are completely safe and secure to spew your filth.

This is one of the most horrifying pieces of drivel – and absolutely scary mindsets – I’ve ever read. The idea that Orthodox Jews cannot protest against the policies of a sitting President, cannot try to put pressure on him to change, cannot flex their muscle every now and then – FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE and for the well-being of Israel, I thought went out with the Holocaust. Back in THOSE days there were many American Jews – Orthodox and non-Orthodox – who said the same thing: Why rock the boat? Why put pressure on the President to bomb the rail lines to Auschwitz? Why – POTENTIALLY – make things worse for us? That mindset cost the lives of at least ONE MILLION of our brethren.

And make no mistake about it, this President’s policies, actions, sentiments, etc., while SOME have been very good for Israel, including today’s speech (more so recently – can you think of why?), many more have been very BAD for Israel, including a general attitude of appeasement to the “Arab Street” and even to Muslim leaders.

It was very clear yesterday that this was not a meeting to endorse Rick Perry as President – to anyone with enough brains to understand that – and that these same askanim will gladly share a stage with other candidates who come out with strong statements in support of Israel. (By the way, those on the stage who used their organizational title as a way of identifying themselves – for example, Rabbi Dr. Weinreb of the OU – are NOT ALLOWED to endorse a candidate as it is a violation of the organizations’ charitable organization staus.)

Lastly, of course it is within the President’s power to make things worse for American Jewry and for Israel. That’s why certain words were spoken, and others were not. But President Obama is nothing if not a politician. The proper response of a politician to these kinds of demonstrations – and the election results of last week in the 9th CD – is not to say “to HECK WITH THE JEWS!” but to say “what can I do to win them over?” If you think President Obama’s recent positive movements towards Israel do NOT come from the pressure put on him by the protests against his May 19 statement (that the pre-1967 borders should be the starting point of negotiations) or from demonstrations like yesterday’s, you are dangerously naive.

This opinion piece misses a crucial point. More than one analysis of the Obama administration’s current position on the Palestinian UN bid is that it absolutely does not hurt that the President and his party are feeling heat from Jews who were previously taken for granted as a Democratic constituency. While that is certainly not the only factor in Obama’s current very friendly attitude towars Israel (I think one of the paragraphs in today’s speech is the most friendly thing he has said about the State of Israel ever-and he said it to a World audience), and bottom line is that the USA even under Obama is a friend of Israel, it may just be that the gents in yarmulkes standing with Perry giev the President an additional (political) incentive to stand with Israel.

“As has been mentioned on other blogs which shall remain nameless, The policy of the United States towards Israel under President Obama is essentially unchanged from the policy under the last four Presidents”

Yes amazingly so the power of the left media can turn night into day, alsmost as good as the UN security council…

The OP makes some valid points, and in theory I agree that we as Jews shouldn’t be so loud and “in your face” in our opposition to Obama.
On the other hand the OP also makes some rather foolish points that need clarification.
The whole Egypt embassy thing is out of perspective and I don’t think the OP gets what happened there.

Please explain to me why Obama, the leader of the free world and President of the USA which “supposedly” is Israels closest or rather ONLY ally in the Middle East has to be BEGGED to make a phone call to Egypt to make sure that they don’t allow the Israeli embassy workers to be slaughtered? What kind of ally is Obama?! Big deal he made a phone call after many hours of pleading by Netanyahu and Barak!
He doesn’t deserve much of a thank you. In fact it is very likely that the only reason he made the call was to prevent the situation from further deteriorating or from starting a war between Egypt and Israel. This was no favor and no rachmanus on Obamas part. He couldn’t care less about a few more dead Israelis just like he doesn’t care about a few more dead Syrians as he is doing very little to stop the massacre there. This was purely a strategic move because it stops a war in the middle east and also allows him to look good because he has Israels back so to speak.
When will people get it, Obama does everything with a Cheshbon of his Ego and only acts when he has to. He’s not a “nice” guy he’s not a “good” guy and doesn’t have rachmanus on anyone.
That being said we need to be careful which we support for this next election and make sure we vote for someone with a CONSCIENCE who does what’s right and cares about the people here as well as those in other countries that are being mistreated and massacred (as it is our foreign policy to help out other countries that are in trouble…)
Bottom line Obama is useless as a president and as a human being. I really can’t find one redeeming quality that he has. Oh actually he can speak very well but again that’s not a quality unless it is backed up with some positive action. He speaks empty words that have no meaning. He is a cruel egotistical person who is weak in character and very unlikeable.

If you pay a little attention to this “outrageous” Op-Ed, you’ll notice that this has nothing to do with” if Orthodox Jews have the right to take revenge against the President of the United States in front of his face”. This is all about this lowlife Katz and his inability to swallow the fact that some Hassidic men (with their black velvet yarmulkas, and stroking their beards…) are successful in accomplishing more than this law school graduate self-hating Jew(?).

Let me tell you Katz, regardless of what they told you in School, the face is that you’ll never succeed in building yourself a better or nicer image by diminishing others. If you’re your real problem is chilul hashem, then your article wouldn’t be full of hatred towards Orthodox Jews. So please! Find a different approach to build your career, and don’t use the religion you clam to believe in as a career builder.

Finally someone with the same thought I made in comment #28.
If we are afraid to express ourselves here in the U.S., maybe that’s just one more reason to think about our staying here.
The fear of American Jews to open their mouths during the Holocaust was at least somewhat understandable, even if not correct, in that THEY had no place else to go.
WE do.

This opinion is bubbe maisas. No one insulted the president. And it certainly wasn’t to his face. The president wasn’t there.

They were simply politicking, something strongly encouraged and expected in this American democracy. NO ONE will hold it against anyone for campaigning for or against a candidate, including a sitting president.

55 2pence
I know the left keeps saying that Bush said the same thing, but everyone knows there’s a world of a difference between saying it in the name of Abbas in the back and forth of mediating the dialog, and making a speech of the policy of the US itself – saying we feel this is the right thing.

CNN and NYT in their hearts know the difference, but they sure got you hooked…

yapper, while admittedly your post is the only one that I have read I’d like to comment on it.
“What did Obama do to deserve this?” Youre right, it is a chillul Hashem to do what they did do but come on, do you really think that he’s done nothing wrong, and nothing against the Jews? Because if you think this then you are living under a rock and I seriously wish I could join you under it so I wouldn’t have to worry about what is happening to us in America and to us in Israel.
Obama, will not be on Israels side when they decide that they need to fight Iran because of their nuclear weapons. He will not even let the Israeli helicopters and such land on our bases to refuel which they have to do in order to complete what needs to be done. He is not going to stand behind Israel in their fight against Iran. Oh, and what about Obama’s idea of going back to the 1967 borders. Do you agree with that too?!
Just a reminder, I am not bashing the person who wrote this letter because I did not read it in detail and also remember, I DO disagree with how the Jews made a chilul Hashem in front of the President but I think it is a little naive of you to think that he has done everything with Israel, their best ally in mind. Please open your eyes and really see what’s going on in the world today!

To “happiest and all the rest of you who labeled this press confer”ence “a chilul Hashem:”

That’s a pretty heavy charge to toss around so easily. I dare say that you did NOT hear the speeches nor read the transcript of what was said. I know this because most of you “believe”/guess/jump to the conclusion/misunderstand the statement of the original misguided writer of this piece. You think that the President was (literally) there. He was NOT. This was not said in front of him.

And “happiest” you are most confused. You attack the event as a chilul Hashem while voicing the exact fears, arguments, facts and opinions expressed by the speakers. Unless you believe (in my opinion, wrongly) that in America an Orthodox Jew should not speak out in defense of his brethren in Israel, then you agree with the speakers.